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We are happy to provide restoration services for fountain pens, mechanical pencils, writing boxes, and other antique and vintage items. We are also able to do simple nib restoration and grinding (sorry, no retipping or crack repair, for now anyways…)

While it is simple to provide flat rates for some of these services, others (such as writing boxes) vary greatly, depending on the extent and nature of the restoration. In such cases, we may need to examine the item before providing an estimate.

We follow three rules in restoration:

Do only what you absolutely have to.

If there is damage, halt it; if possible, reverse it.

Use original parts and methods, if possible, and make your repairs as invisible as possible.

Thus, if the original finish is damaged beyond repair, yes, it can be stripped. But only if you can replace it with a finish as close as possible—even identical—to the original.

In short, restoration is care, patience, and research. It’s the fiddly details. It’s all about making sure that, after you have spent hours labouring over something wonderful, no one will ever know you were there.

Restoration Price List

All services include: disassembly, cleaning, and minor nib adjustments. All pens are write-tested by us before we return them to you.

starts at $40; contact us for estimate. We do not do custom nib grinding.

Mechanical pencils

contact us for estimate

Writing box restoration

contact us for estimate

Important Note: antique and vintage items have often led a varied and colorful life; as a result, they may acquire damage that is unnoticed. In the course of restoration, damage may be uncovered, or parts may fail unexpectedly. Restoration may go over estimate, or even be impossible, depending on the circumstances of the individual item. In such cases, we will immediately contact you before proceeding.

Another Important note: we no longer repair or replace Waterman lever boxes.

Payment

We generally send an invoice once we are finished work on your items and have sent them back to you. This keeps things simple, as we can include the exact cost of return shipping.

We accept payment via Paypal, using bank e-transfers, or personal cheque if that is most convenient for you. We have no extra charges for any of these services. Our invoicing is done in Canadian funds by default, but we accept payment in any currency, and can invoice correspondingly by request.

Shipping

Packaging

We suggest wrapping pens in tissue, then packaging them in a length of plastic plumbing pipe with the ends taped shut. This can then be put in a bubble envelope. This will withstand almost any abuse.

Fortunately this pen was made of titanium!

If you are sending pens which are in parts: please be aware that things that are loose, or look like packaging, or get tangled up in packaging, may be inadvertently thrown out. To avoid this, put any small pieces in a small clear ziplock bag, and write the name of the part on the bag with a marker. The bag can be put in a piece of plumbing tube with the ends taped shut. Send us a complete list of what is included, with the number of bags and their contents.

We will not be held responsible for losses if this method is not used. In all honesty, just leaving the pen together is the best practice if possible.

International Shipping

Important note: Canada Post no longer respects “registered mail” of any kind, from any country. If you send a package by “registered mail”, it will not be tracked once it is within Canada, and delivery agents will not secure a signature for it.

Due to their abysmal service in our area, we are unable to accept shipments by UPS, Fedex, or other couriers. As of October 2013, we only accept packages via the Post Office. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Should you ship something to us, please, please be aware: assume that anything shipped will be thrown through the air, at least 15 feet, on top of other stuff. And then, other stuff will be thrown through the air, at least 15 feet, to land on your package. So, pack your items accordingly. Oh, and don’t ship pens with ink in them, it really gets all over.